While it stumbles over its own ambition far more than it should, Ori and the Blind Forest bursts with both detail and passion. At times it's less a game you play than one you force your way through despite your better judgment, but the parts where it all works together make it worth the pain. And wow, does it look good.

MotoGP 14 delivers exciting, challenging and surprisingly deep motorcycle racing action. It's audio-visuals feel disappointingly last-generation, however.

No, Yoshi's New Island may not be the game we fans of the original want, but it's definitely the game its creators set out to make. And a lot of fun, too. It's hard to be cynical about that.

The fundamental premise of NES Remix 2 remains sound, but the shift in focus to more complex source material crimps its style somewhat. Thankfully, the bonus modes go a long way toward restoring some of the shine to its star. It's not quite as essential a play as its predecessor, but it offers an amusing, self-referential distraction nevertheless.

Streets of Rage 4 is a small, concentrated hit of beat 'em up excellence. While its length and lack of extra modes might make this offering seem slim, it makes up for it with brilliant fighting, effusive style, and another solid set of tunes. If beat 'em up games are seeing a revival, Streets of Rage 4 is leading the charge.

The Old City offers a great story, and one that's at its most rewarding when approached with a literary mindset. If you're not offended by a game with an ending that raises more questions than answers, Postmod's creation delivers an experience with a noteworthy amount of restraint—and one that's begging to be revisited multiple times.

SteamWorld Quest is a diet RPG, but it still contains plentiful portions of Image & Form's unique charm and humor. Its card-based battle system is engaging, and you might find yourself enjoying it a lot even if you're not a big fan of digital card games. Expect a straightforward journey that ends much sooner than most RPGs, but maybe a 15-hour quest isn't such a bad thing in a genre that keeps piling on 100-hour epics.

Maze Walker may not be much fun, but it's never looked this nice. Of course, if you haven't already picked up these games individually, there's no question — this is a must-have compilation.

As challenging as it is strange, Yumi's Odd Odyssey seems doomed to obscurity thanks both to its aesthetics and its quiet release onto eShop. It deserves notice, though. It's the first U.S. release of a long-running cult series from Japan, and – more importantly – it's loads of challenging fun.

By shoving the story aside and doubling down on its great battle system, Paper Jam smartly emphasizes what the series does best. Some of the padding can be a little annoying, but the way paper-thin characters add new angles to enemy encounters makes this crossover more than just a simple gimmick.

The visuals in Yoshi's Crafted World speak for themselves. Every corner you turn presents something new to wonder at. The game's a bit on the easy side, but that's not necessarily a bad thing if you accept Yoshi titles are more about exploration and collecting than serious platforming. It's a great little "spring game" that should fill out your Switch library nicely.

Life is Strange takes a hard turn with Episode 3 as Max's supporting cast gains a bit more nuance and depth. So far, each episode of Life is Strange has improved upon the foundation laid by the last one. With Episode 3, the developer makes the player really think about the scope of Max's powers and actions. Great stuff.

Lightweight but inventive, Costume Quest 2 feels like a Pixar adventure masquerading as an RPG. It goes out of its way to keep things simple... perhaps too simple at times. But its simplicity is redeemed by its terrific art and wry sense of humor, and most importantly, the sheer fun of its premise.

Brandish may be among the most niche of RPGs, but it doesn't suffer any illusions to the contrary. It's comfortable in its own skin and happy to commit to its own rules and limitations. Most people will find themselves indifferent to its focused, idiosyncratic design — but those who get it will love it.

Dauntless is Monster Hunter for those that don't have the time or money to devote to Capcom's Monster Hunter: World. Dauntless falters in certain areas, but provides the feel of hunting and gear progression in a more streamlined manner. the world can feel a bit lifeless and gamey at time, but this is definitely good enough to carve out it's own space alongside Capcom's flagship series. And being free-to-play with full cross-platform play helps a great deal.

Like any horse race, your success in Pocket Card Jockey relies on luck -- a little too heavily for some players, maybe. Nevertheless, once the game sinks its big, horsey teeth into you, it won't let go for a long time.

The two sides of NBA 2K are once again on display in this year's version. One side is the immensely polished and ambitious design that has propelled it to the top of the sports sim heap. The other is the tacky, brand-heavy microtransactions that dominate its showcase mode. I think the former outweighs the latter, but it's too bad that microtransactions overshadow what should otherwise be an amazing love letter to the sport of basketball. At least there's always franchise mode.

Prolific server issues and slim bonus settings are holding Fall Guys back for now, but for the time being, the wobbly obstacle course battle royale forges its own path. It's easy to envision the game only getting bigger from here on out—especially considering this launch era has been declared as Season 1, battle pass and all. As a foundation, Fall Guys is an endlessly engaging one. I'll be chuckling as I fumble to finish lines for quite some time.

From Software once again serves up a solid piece of DLC with Ashes of Ariandel, even if it is a tad short. It's full of beautiful vistas and interesting levels, and the boss fight at the end is a good challenge for high-level players. But those looking for something new and innovative are apt to be disappointed, as this is all familiar territory for the series. Still, From Software's execution is strong in this first piece of Dark Souls 3 DLC.

In a way, Rise of the Tomb Raider lives up to its name: You can see the classic Tomb There's far too much predictable, uninspired gunplay, but despite its mandatory nature it still comprises only a tiny portion of the overall game experience.

Don't let Yo-Kai Watch's kiddie appeal fool you: It might not be as deep as your average, adult-style RPG, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. Level-5's gradual evolution of their "house style" has amounted to a true successor to Pokemon—one entirely free of its predecessor's 8-bit baggage.

Rocksteady absolutely nailed the feeling of being Batman and Arkham Knight only increases the scope of the original games. Yes, I got annoyed, but the moment-to-moment play of Batman: Arkham Knight is still amazing. If you've saved the Asylum and cleaned up the City, it's worth finishing the Knight off.

With plenty of fast-paced (and frequently challenging) action, Ys: Memories of Celceta fills in a gap in the series' history with aplomb. It offers a nice balance between story and combat -- in fact, its biggest shortcoming is strictly technical. A great addition to the Vita's library and the Ys franchise alike.

Prey is a collection of past influences - a bit of System Shock here, some Bioshock there, a bit of Dead Space - but the whole is something we don't get very much these days. With the twisting halls of Talos I, Prey gives you meaningful choices in your abilities, as the level design challenges you to find interesting ways forward. The game falters in combat, but overall, Prey is a wonderful love letter some older titles that are sorely missed.

Triumph returns to its unique mix of Civilization and XCOM with the new Age of Wonders: Planetfall. Leaving behind the fantasy trappings of the previous games, Planetfall heads into sci-fi territory. The new colony system speeds up play and allows for interesting options for hobbling your opponent's cities, and the combat system is blown way out, with combinations of race, technology, research, and unit mods allowing for a dizzying array of army choices. In fact, Planetfall's biggest problem will likely be onboarding new players because of its density. If you're up to the challenge though, Planetfall is a worthwhile entry point into the series.

It's a better game than the first was. It's still that gateway MMO, missing features that current MMOs have. A Raid Finder would be keen, as the Guided Games feature is merely a half-step. Being able to see your friends and Fireteam on the map is an odd omission. The shader implementation is such an odd step back for a game that doesn't have a glamour system. And I still think the mismatch between PVE and PVP team sizes is a problem...But Destiny 2 is a damned good time.

Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE has a little bit of Fire Emblem and Shin Megami Tensei for flavor, but honestly the title stands out as its own thing. Fans of Shin Megami Tensei spinoff Persona will find a lot to love: great characters, a heavy dose of Japanese entertainment, and a solid battle system. And if you're a Wii U owner, this is a great RPG to close out the system's lifespan.

Splatoon 2 doesn't add much to shake up the splat-paint-everywhere formula, but I wonder if it needs to at this point. Splatoon 2 is a much stronger game at launch than its original ever was through its whole lifespan, and for that, is easily one of the best games one can own on the Switch.

In an alternate reality where modern Fallout retained the the focus on choice and role-playing, The Outer Worlds would be the result. Obsidian Entertainment delivers this small window into that alternate reality, a game that prizes picking the right skills to tackle weird and wild situations. The Outer Worlds shines in the writing, but the combat doesn't equally rise to the occasion. Likewise, the planets you visit could use a few more quests or interesting spots to explore. The Outer Worlds is still a fun romp though, something that will hopefully build to something bigger in the future.

Lumo packs many different challenges and puzzles into its oldschool isometric 3D platform adventure format. It can be tough at times, but it's nevertheless thoroughly enjoyable - riffing on many classic British games of the 80's that you mightn't know, but will enjoy discovering.

If you're on board for another round of Dark Souls DLC, you know what you're in for: A few interesting twists here and there, and a revival of certain elements from the last game, but nothing revolutionary. If you simply want more Dark Souls 2, Old Iron King delivers just that, and with all the thoughtfulness you'd expect from its developers.

Pac-Man 256 takes the original coin-op's gameplay and gives it a clever new twist to create an endless muncher that's hugely fun to play. On the surface it looks simple, but its gameplay has surprising depth that makes it fiendishly addictive - and highly challenging to master.

A clever, abstract take on a bullet hell shooter that breaks the action up into very short bursts. It's challenging, fun to play and very addictive. A great indie game to play between AAA titles.

Cities: Skylines isn't perfect, but it's an excellent city builder and a great launch for developer Colossal Order. There a few control issues, a lack of key features explanations for new players, and the building currently lack the complexity found in SimCity 4 or SimCity (2013), but I still sunk hours into the game and will sink many more.

PES 2017 is a remarkably good soccer sim on the pitch—so good that it makes up for the bulk of its shortcomings elsewhere. There's no denying that it's a niche sim with a high barrier to entry; but if realistic gameplay is your number one priority, then PES 2017 comes highly recommended.

Wrong Number might not be the ambitious sequel you're expecting from Hotline Miami, but if you enjoyed the original, the way Dennaton plays with its essential formula makes for a worthwhile experience.

Adam Jensen returns in an all-new adventure, proving that Human Revolution wasn't a fluke. Eidos Montreal has outdone itself with the same great stealth experience, improved combat, and some gorgeous art direction. There's a whole host of augments and weapons, allowing you to customize your experience and certain moral choices you make will stick with you. Deus Ex: Mankind Divided does not disappoint.

Taken on its own Untold is a quality piece of work. Between its multiple modes and numerous difficulty settings, it really is the most accessible and flexible entry in the series: A great entry point to the series and genre, while offering something interesting for the seasoned player as well.

Apex Legends spices up the battle royale formula with hero-based shooter pizazz and its revolutionary pinging system, which helps everyone feel welcome to the team. Though its Season One rollout has been disappointing content-wise and its visual flair remains bland, Apex Legends still has the solid foundation necessary for a free-to-play shooter to survive in the long run. And with 50 million players reached in its first month, it's not like it's slowing down anytime soon. We're all jumpmasters now.

In all, this is a hefty and well-crafted RPG, and it puts a great spin on the time-tested rules of MegaTen.

Astral Chain is the directorial debut of Nier Automata designer Takahisa Taura, and it proves that he's a creator worth paying attention to. Part melodramatic anime, part overly complicated Tamagotchi, it's an eminently playable action role-playing game that delivers the pleasure of good teamwork in a way few singleplayer games accomplish. Building on action design ideas seeded in Nier, Astral Chain encourages you to bond with your beloved pet cybermonster both on and off the battlefield. Then, it teaches you how to fight as one.

NBA 2K16 is definitely hurt by Livin Da' Dream, which is problematic in ways that go beyond the scope of this review. It just doesn't work. Once you get past MyCareer, though, NBA 2K16 once again stands out as a top-tier sports sim.

Puzzle and Dragons Super Mario Edition offers more immediate gameplay, while Puzzle and Dragons Z adds a storyline and RPG elements. Ultimately, both offer puzzle action that's addictive, fun and surprisingly deep.

Super Mario Maker for 3DS comes pretty close to being a perfect portable adaptation of an incredible Wii U game. It certainly works a lot better than previous ports had led me to expect! That said, the absence of one of the original game's most important elements truly diminishes this conversion. The new format and new pre-baked content go a long way toward making up for the loss... but while this version is worth owning for the 100 (!) new levels alone, it's still not the definitive Super Mario Maker.

Control continues the basic formula that Remedy Entertainment has been playing with for all these years—third-person action with a hint of unreality—but it feels like the studio has reached its final form. The Oldest House, a vast structure of brutalist architecture and collection of powerful paranormal objects, allows Remedy to play with new ideas and variations on traditional gameplay, breaking up the shooting and superhuman powers with games of red light/green light and journeys through Alice in Wonderland-style mazes. The dialog is still odd, and the mission structure can be obtuse at times, but Control is great. With the Oldest House and Federal Bureau of Control at its back, Remedy Entertainment has fully realized a place where all its game development quirks finally fit.

BlazBlue: Chrono Phantasma is a great package if you love the series. New characters, streamlined mechanics, and the same animated fighting action you've been playing since 2008. DLC brings things down a bit, but if you want to play a console fighting game on the go, BlazBlue: Chrono Phantasma is a perfect candidate.

Although it's a little on the short side, and its production values are a bit oldschool, Titanfall 2's single-player campaign is a really enjoyable experience while it lasts. It's very inventive and fun, and a great warm-up for the game's excellent multiplayer component, whose gunplay and controls are absolutely outstanding. All it needs is a few more maps and modes.

Oddworld: New 'n' Tasty is what the original game always wanted to be: a truly cinematic platformer. It looks fantastic, sounds brilliant and is great fun to play, despite its occasionally clumsy controls.

Pokémon remains as unique as they come among RPGs—a monster collection game that effortlessly blends social gaming with deep battle mechanics.

Pokémon remains as unique as they come among RPGs—a monster collection game that effortlessly blends social gaming with deep battle mechanics.

Don't let its browser game roots mislead you: Westerado is a rich and creative game that opens itself up to plenty of different approaches.

Thimbleweed Park has sharp, often hilarious writing and convoluted puzzles to spare. All in all, it's a welcome return to the point-and-click adventure, even if it ends up feeling a bit like a b-side to the classics before it.

Sumo Digital is back to hit you with that fantastic Sonic Racing action. Team Sonic Racing has a new focus on team-based mechanics, but it ultimately feels like a step back from the excellent Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed. The tracks are great, there's a whole of new customization options, and Team Adventure's challenge courses do well to differentiate the game from its peers, but it's a rebuilding year.

FIFA 20 revives the old Street series with a new mode featuring futsal and outdoor soccer, but it's the core gameplay that shines brightest this year, bringing down the pace in a way that feels nuanced and enjoyable. With additional updates to Career Mode and FIFA Ultimate Team, this year's version is easy to recommend to lapsed fans and newcomers alike.

World of Tanks is an entertaining and enjoyable tactical shooter with a surprising amount of depth. If you're not prepared to pony up some cash, it does become a grind eventually – but if you reach that point and you still want to play, spending some money is very likely a worthwhile investment.

Rise and Fall feels a lot like Civilization V's first expansion, Gods and Kings. It adds some missing features back into the mix—thank you city flipping—but there are still other holes (Espionage still needs work) and some of the implementation here is messy.

It's great to finally have a high-definition port of Twilight Princess - it needed one more than most. Its strong dungeon design holds up well enough, but its meandering pace is unlikely to win over its detractors. Still, if you missed it the first time, give it a look. If nothing else, Midna is still a delight.

Titanfall isn't the most innovative first-person shooter ever, but it is well-developed and quite fun. Respawn Entertainment brings back some of the high-flying shooting play that once graced titles like Unreal Tournament and Quake III Arena, and marries it to the huge, lumbering mechs called Titans. Even more surprising, the game is still balanced no matter how you choose to play. It's multiplayer-only, so strict single-player gamers need not apply, but if you're open Titanfall has a lot to offer.

Despite some combat balancing issues and some occasionally too-linear design, 7th Dragon III offers a top-class portable role-playing experience. Thankfully, you don't need to be familiar with the unlocalized earlier games in the series to grasp the story, and its wealth of customization options make for a fairly breezy RPG experience... at least until you get to those brutal True Dragon fights, anyway.

Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition is the best sort of remaster: its improvements may seem minimal, but it overhauls most of the tedium that once plagued the Wii RPG classic. While some things it can't fix with polish—the too-big environments, the boring side quests, its messy battle system—for fans or curious new players, Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition is easily the best Xenoblade Chronicles out there, even with its annoyances.

A Link Between Worlds takes some much-needed strides to shake things up. But it does so within a pair of worlds most fans know maybe a little too well, and you know what they say about familiarity. This is a good first step in Nintendo's journey to revitalize Zelda, but the next leg of the trip needs to be considerably bolder.

Despite looking and playing like a 90's throwback, Mercenary Kings adds character and weapons customization options, and a novel mission structure to create a game that feels contemporary. Its content can feel somewhat repetitive, but by the time it does, most players will have already got their money's worth.

Bugsnax sees Young Horses building on the strange sense of humor it developed with Octodad while embracing some familiar, less adventurous gameplay hooks at its core. I let out an involuntary "aw" when I saw my first Kwookie scuttling across the ground, but the real heart of Bugsnax is its cast of lovable Grumpuses. It has great characters, an entertaining story, and all the Bugsnak catching is just varied enough to keep the experience interesting to its end. All that talk about Bugsnax over the past few months wasn't misguided: it's a flavor-blasted joy.

Disgaea 5 is a Disgaea game for better or for worse. This means solid tactical combat, over-the-top attacks, and more game systems than you can shake a stick at. The cast isn't as good as Disgaea 4, but the game itself is undeniably bigger and more robust. Veterans will be happy and new players have a lot to digest. Prepare yourself.

Although the emphasis on bow hunting and woolly mammoths can give a bit of a Skyrim vibe, that quickly fades as you gain full mastery over the protagonist's ability to summon a variety of deadly beasts into combat. The writing fails to make its primitive heroes anything more than one-note lunks, but the primordial nature of the game world complements the action and ultimately makes up for the underwhelming story.

Dead Star is a dynamic and entertaining mash-up of top-down shooter and open MOBA variant. It initially seems simple and straightforward, but the more you play it, the more its tactical and strategic depths become apparent. Ultimately, it's a really enjoyable game that offers intense, competitive PvP action, from exciting one-on-one dogfights to pitched battles involving many players.

Smaller in scale than last year's epic adventure, The Old Blood treads familiar, blood-soaked ground and doesn't offer much in the way of new ideas. However, it's very well produced, has some great moments of dialog, and offers a ton of Nazi-slaughtering action that's somewhat relentless, but still plenty entertaining.

Guitar Hero Live's new guitar helps bring something fresh to the genre, and offers a new challenge for both beginners and veterans alike. GH Live is fun, though a little cheesy, but it's in GHTV where the game's most interesting aspect is found. If this continues to be built out as Activision has promised, it should deliver long-term appeal - and a great way to discover new music.

Trials of Mana is a strong remake of the classic 2D Super Famciom RPG that Western fans pined after for so very, very long. Its story is a bit weak, Charlotte's English voice acting might make you retch, and there's some notable repetition in the game's environments, but fighting through enemy hordes feels great. It's a considerable step above the 2018 revamp of Secret of Mana, so no worries there.

I was worried going in that Civilization: Beyond Earth would be little more than a re-skinned Civilization V with a few added bells and whistles; but thankfully, the flow, structure, and overall feel of the strategy makes for a very different game.

A single battle in Project X Zone 2 can drag on forever, and its overarching story doesn't make much sense. Still, its hilarious character interactions and chaotic fights embody what a video game should be: Fun.

With 50 fighters (17 of whom are all-new), 19 stages, and a host of gameplay modes, SNK is coming out swinging with King of Fighters XIV. The roster is diverse and interesting and the game is easy to get into. The game could definitely use a boost in the visual department, as the art style can come across as safe and bland, but the game itself is solid. As the beginning for a whole new era of SNK, King of Fighters XIV is a win.

Battle for Azeroth launches strong by renewing the conflict between the Horde and Alliance. Blizzard offers two very different experiences this expansion with each faction having their own storyline on unique island nations. It's an enjoyable expansion during the leveling experience, but endgame currently has some issues with sparse weapon drops and clutter stemming from the new Azerite gear system. There are improvements to be made here, but what's available at launch is still very good.

For all its weirdness it actually is a pretty compelling adventure. Excellent combat mechanics and the pairing of an open world with a harsh time limit help the game overcome its technical shortcomings and impenetrable story.

The Surge 2 is a better game than its predecessor in many ways, and shouldn’t be overlooked in a growing crowd of soulslikes. Pathfinding can still be a bit vague like its predecessor, but the dense environments are fun to explore and complement its weighty combat and robust gear upgrade system. Deck 13 polished what made the first Surge a decent B-tier game and doubled down on what it's good at, showing us how a good developer can learn and evolve from release to release.

Although its visual novel/dating sim nature may put off those who prefer a little more exploration in their RPGs, Loren is an enjoyable high-fantasy epic with some great artwork, memorable characters and a fun, if at times cliched story.

It's a bit on the short side and the latter chunk of the game is rather linear, but Resident Evil 7 absolutely recaptures the feeling of survival horror established in the first game. The Baker family is terrifying and spending time trapped in their home is damned good horror. As a new direction for the franchise, returning to an old one seems like it was a great idea.

With 44 total characters, a host of balance tweaks, new fighting options, and native YouTube uploading, Ultra Street Fighter IV is a release that's worth picking up for hardcore Street Fighter fans or returning casual players.

Like the previous legacy collections, this is a mix of some absolute masterpieces, some okay games, and some severe missteps. It's missing some features like save states or a rewind function, and a few songs from the original releases are gone completely. The new X Challenge mode also doesn't stand up to Mega Man Legacy Collection's Custom Challenge stages. Still, this a damn good collection for a series that hasn't seen a new entry in 14 years.

Judgment is very much a Yakuza game in detective clothing, but with some clever twists and a killer mystery at the center, it ends up feeling surprisingly distinct. While some of the detective-specific mechanical additions are a drag, everything else vibes really well with the familiar Kamurocho setting. It's easily the best of the recent line of Dragon Engine-developed games in the series—even without Kiryu Kazuma at the center, and even without a karaoke minigame.

Ironclad Tactics isn't quite SpaceChem Deux but it is, in its own right, rather brilliant. If you're willing to deal with the fact it's a wily, unpleasant bugger who will occasionally gimp you just because, it's more than worth the purchase.

A meticulously ported slice of classic 80's arcade action. Without doubt the best version of Afterburner II around - and that includes the original arcade game.

Arguably the biggest Kickstarter story sticks its first landing. Broken Age is a cute, colorful tale about growing up. While the 'game' part of the experience is pretty straightforward - like an old-school adventure game - the world is full of charming and unique characters. Sit back, figure out some puzzles, and experience the wonderful little tale that Double Fine has crafted.

In Rage 2, you move fast and kill faster. It's the synthesis between id Software's 2016 reboot of Doom and Avalanche Studios' Mad Max, bringing together some of the best ideas from both. Moment-to-moment play on foot is fantastic with each weapon and ability just opening up your options for destruction. Driving could be improved and it's a little on the shorter side, but Rage 2 is a damned good time.

I think Tekken 7 is a fantastic fighter – albeit one that’s hobbled by a front-and-center single-player mode that’s unsatisfying on its own and does little to help players understand what makes the core gameplay so solid. Players have been waiting a long time for this game, and more than anything, I’m glad that it’s finally in the hands of Tekken fans worldwide. But in an increasingly competitive market for the attention of both casual and competitive fighting game players, it feels like the iron fist doesn’t hit quite as hard as it should.

If you're willing to hack it out in a musou game and you're a huge fan of The Legend of Zelda, Hyrule Warriors is a fantastic game. It's pitch-perfect musou and it wears the Zelda fanservice on its sleeve in bright colors. Once you're done unlocking all of the characters and their various weapons, you'll have an entire smorgasboard of Zelda action at your fingertips. Hyrule Warriors might only play a single note, but Omega Force has honed that note to perfection.

Unravel is a solid (if flawed) puzzle platformer wrapped up in beautiful visuals and emotional moments. It's like a Christmas sweater. It's not perfect, but you're compelled to love it just the same.

Sayonara Wild Hearts is a quick but intense ride through a landscape that's been made dangerous and jagged by broken hearts and pop music. Its unusual style makes the road hard to see from time to time, but people who love Simogo's games will love riding with The Fool.

Warhammer: Vermintide 2 is a game that still largely stands alone. There are few games that offer up this kind of cooperative experience, meaning FatShark has a chance to innovate without worrying about competition. That could lead to a sequel without many improvements, but it's clear the developer wanted to give players more options. Outside of some issues, what's here is very good.

Fans of the Ace Attorney franchise may find themselves with an easier experience than what they bargained for. However, that shouldn't be reason to pass on Dual Destinies. The latest installment in the franchise remains wonderfully written, happily off-the-wall and even more attractive now that it has shed its 2D carapace and embraced the wonders of modern technology.

The action on the field is a bit more nuanced; the presentation has been spruced up; and there's a new chapter of the Journey to digest. But at its heart, FIFA 18 is much the same as its always been: the sort of fast and frantic soccer game you play on the couch with your friends. And that makes it plenty fun.

After the pure RTS of Dawn of War and the RPG leanings of Dawn of War II, Relic Entertainment decides to settle in the middle ground with Dawn of War III. Base-building returns, heroes get an overhaul with Elite units, and combat becomes more aggressive and faster-paced. Dawn of War III is a game that pulls from its past, while taking some elements from modern day gaming to make something new in the franchise.

While far from Nippon Ichi's best game, The Witch and the Hundred Knight's interesting interlocking game systems and unconventional, dark narrative make it an enjoyable affair well worth spending some time with, assuming you have the patience to deal with its quirks along the way.

Featuring an impressive roster of bikes and tracks, and a broad spectrum of events to participate in, Ride 2 starts out being a bit of a grind, but eventually becomes a very entertaining racing game. Its action might be a little too hardcore to appeal to anyone other than a real motorcycle fan, but if that's you, definitely check it out.

Beat by beat, you've seen elements of 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim's plot elsewhere before, but you've probably never played anything quite like it. How 13 Sentinels strings its complex narrative together is nothing short of astonishing. It operates like a great melodramatic sci-fi TV show, only reworked and shuffled into an interactive format, and it takes full advantage of it. And for that, even with weak RTS battles complementing it all, it's an easy recommendation.

At its core, Super Smash Bros. is both a loving tribute to Nintendo and a surprisingly deep fighter, and though it hasn't changed much over the years, its appeal is strong as ever on the Nintendo 3DS. The solo experience is admittedly lacking, but as a multiplayer game, it remains a delight.

A well designed, challenging and entertaining shooter that's best appreciated as a multiplayer game. More variety in mission types would help it feel less of a grind, however.

Indivisible's unique blend of platforming and action-heavy monster fights will take some getting used to, but everything feels good once it clicks into place. Indivisible has some problems with its camera and map, but you'll be too busy marveling at its wonderful graphics to feel much of a sting.